Posted by rvanson on February 29, 2008, at 23:27:51
In reply to Re: Zyprexa vs. Zopiclone for Insomnia, posted by Justherself54 on February 29, 2008, at 7:44:22
> > My pdoc gave me 14 x 5mg Zyprexa at the last appointment with instructions to go to my GP for more 'if you like it'. This was in preference to zopiclone, which he was refusing to prescribe any longer. There are a number of problems with this:
> >
> > a) Zyprexa has a long half-life of over 30 hours, therefore causes a 'hangover' effect the next day.
> > b) Zyprexa severely imapirs my concentration.
> > c) my memory is shot to peices.
> > d) my stomach and saddle bags are already starting to bulge and it's only week 3.
> > e) health risks associateed with said weight gain i.e. heart disease and diabetes.
> > f) risk of movement disorders.
> >
> > The main 'risk' with zopiclone is dependence, yet since I will most likely become to dependent on any medication that works long term, I consider dependence on Zyprexa more dangerous than dependence on zopiclone. My pdoc is baffled by this, but I try to be patient with him. I think the main problem is that Zyprexa is well within protocol while zopiclone is almost forbidden in the UK. This seems to blind him to the obvious hazards of using Zyprexa long-term as a hypnotic. I should add that Zyprexa drains his NHS budget of over £60 per month compared to just over £3 for a month's supply of zopiclone.
> >
> > My social worker went to my GP on Wednesday and asked for some zopiclone and amisulpride when she saw what state I was in. My GP refused and so did my pdoc at first, but in the end he relented to a week's supply of zopiclone but refused the amisulpride. I see him on Tuesday and I'll probably have this battle with him all over again. When my social worker spoke to him on the phone he thought he'd given me zotepine not Zyprexa... I'm just hoping that's not what he's not going to suggest next.
> >
> > Q
>
> I feel badly for you. Poor sleep just feeds into depression. I find it interesting how doctors in different countries feel about prescribing benzodiazapines and hypnotics. I live in Canada and have been taking Zopiclone for years..I was taking seroquel at night but my weight gain has been too much so my pdoc is stopping it and adding Rozerem, which I've never tried before. I also take clonazapam at bed too and occasionally during the day if required..
>
> I know I'm dependent on zopiclone for sleep but I don't take it for anything else, and my pdoc knows what will happen if I don't sleep..I'll start cycling..so he is very liberal with medication that gets me to sleep and keeps me there..
>
> I don't understand doctors who's philosophy is not to prescribe any addictive/dependancy drugs which in turn causes more problems and downright agony for patients. To me it's akin to taking away pain relief from someone's who's in severe physical pain..we just are in severe emotional pain..
>
> Sorry for the long rant..morning coffee must have me hyped up!Many doctors here in the US a are what we term: Benzo-phobic. They would rather prescribed an major anti-psychotic medication with known long term side effects then Xanax, Lorazapam, Klonopin, ect.
And, yes, I know that Ambien (zopiclone) is not a benzodiazapine tranquilizer, but nevertheless doctors seem to have shifted to treating it the same as a "Benzodiazapine" these days.
I know that in the case of Xanax, it has been a lifesaver for me and if a Pdoc makes a stink about it, I just tell them about my little car wreck incident when a P-quack put me on Zyprexa, instead of Xanax, which I have used since 1982 without problems.
poster:rvanson
thread:815318
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080221/msgs/815505.html